Another shocking incident in one of the restive province—Kandahar—caused eyes, set on televisions, drowned in tears. An American soldier walked off his base in a remote southern Afghan village shortly before dawn Sunday and opened fire on civilians inside their homes, killing at least 16, including nine children. President Hamid Karzai called the shootings an "assassination" and demanded an explanation from U.S. officials. Reportedly, President Obama and Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta have called Karzai to discuss the incident. Obama expressed shock and sadness and vowed to hold fully accountable anyone responsible for the killings.
The shootings marked the first deadliest foreign soldier attack on defenseless Afghan civilians. Though he, soon after the attack, was detained by fellow American soldier, but experts maintain that the attacks fuel anti-American sentiments. The attack was widely condemned and Washington alarmed all U.S. soldiers to take about possible revengeful attacks.
In the virtual world, Afghan facebookers and bloggers angrily condemned the attacks and published photos claimed to be the pictures of victims. Those pictures were horrific, showcasing one of the most inhumane attacks against poor and innocent women and children. Many wrote with anger, branding the US government responsible for the shootings.
They complained that the shootings did not find due status in the international news agencies, saying that if a similar attack had taken place, everyone would have came in shock. However it should be noticed that such shocking incident also take place in the very United States, hearing about an armed man opens fire on civilians.
These kinds of attacks are generally related to psychologically disordered civilians or soldiers. Details have not been provided, yet it is said that shooter perhaps suffers from mental problem.
The current security atmosphere has become quite dangerous. The recent Quran-burning incident which led to widespread violence has already set the position of foreign soldiers among common people in a very fragile and tense situation. The Kandahar shootings deteriorate the situation further.
But once again, Afghan people should keep their humanitarian feelings under the control and do not unintentionally empower insurgencies by showing sympathy and safe-hideout as revenge against mentally disordered soldier.